Integration with LTO-7 compliant storage devices provides direct, native access to the higher capacity and performance of the seventh-generation open tape format

Last Updated: February 24, 2016 5:27 pm GMT

(Toronto, Ontario--February 24, 2016) Masstech has added native support for LTO-7 compliant storage devices across its entire range of innovative, advanced workflow and media asset management solutions. Formally known as LTO Ultrium Generation 7, LTO-7 more than doubles tape cartridge capacity and significantly boosts transfer speeds over the previous generation of the open tape format.

Support for LTO-7 storage devices is available through a new software update for the MassStore technology platform that powers all Masstech solutions, enabling customers who upgrade to LTO-7 to dramatically increase the capacity and performance of their existing libraries. The LTO-7 specifications support a native, uncompressed storage capacity of 6TB per tape cartridge, more than twice the raw capacity of LTO generation 6. The LTO-7 specifications also increase uncompressed tape drive data transfer rates to up to 300MB per second, more than 85% faster than LTO-6.

Helping preserve customers’ existing archives and protecting their tape cartridge investments, LTO-7 drives provide backward compatibility to write to LTO generation 6 cartridges, and read both LTO-5 and LTO-6 tapes. Automated MassStore workflows further ease the transition for users of earlier LTO versions, transferring content from older tapes to LTO-7 without disrupting users or hindering asset availability. And as always, MassStore’s LTO-7 support is free of capacity-based charges, with no additional Masstech licensing or support fees just for expanding your storage.

“We’re pleased to be working closely with our storage partners to bring the benefits of LTO-7 to our customers,” said Savva Mueller, Director of Product Management at Masstech. “LTO-7’s increased storage capacity enables improved archive density that can minimize physical storage footprints, while allowing larger-sized files such as 4K productions to fit on a single tape cartridge. The addition of LTO-7 support continues our commitment to providing native interfaces for all popular storage technologies, while offering efficient transition workflows that make it easy for customers to adopt the latest standards.”